Using voice activation to control car features used to be hit-and-miss in the early days, but the technology has become better at understanding natural spoken language.
Now, the use of predefined commands will no longer be necessary in future BMWs. In 2026, the German carmaker will expand its BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, built on Amazon’s AI Alexa+ architecture, taking voice interaction between humans and vehicles to a new level.
The enhanced AI-supported assistant was presented to the public for the first time at this week’s CES 2026 in Las Vegas, with the BMW iX3 the first car to use it.
For the first time, users will be able to ask multiple questions in a single sentence covering their vehicle’s features and general knowledge topics. The ability to link the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant with Amazon accounts will also make it easier to search for and stream music, retrieve public news and access a wide range of other content.
“The product sets new standards in the naturalness of human-vehicle interaction through the use of artificial intelligence. With the addition of Amazon’s Alexa+ technology to the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, the vehicle becomes an intelligent companion for its users,” said Stephan Durach, BMW’s senior VP for infotainment.
The AI technology is a Large Language Model (LLM), a generative AI that understands language and is capable of formulating its own responses.
The car will understand complex questions and provide appropriate answers. For example, when asked, “Hey BMW, what’s the most famous painting in the world, and where can I find it?” The personal assistant will provide the corresponding answer (Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci, Louvre). The system links to the navigation, and all that’s left for you to say is, “Take me there.”
From mid-2026 the iX3 will become available with the system in Germany and the US, before being rolled out to other markets and models.
The iX3 was launched in September as the debut model for the Neue Klasse, a new generation of electric BMWs focusing on electrification, digitalisation, a fresh design language and new user interfaces.
The iX3 presented at CES showcases other innovations that by 2027 will be integrated into 40 new models and model updates from BMW. It includes an expanded range of entertainment options in BMW Operating System X, including a video app powered by TiVo, which enables video streaming on the central display when the vehicle is stationary. In addition to the Disney+ streaming service, customers in the BMW iX3 have a growing selection of news, live and on-demand streaming.
The BMW ConnectedDrive Store will also soon include the YouTube Music app for the first time, giving access to an extensive catalogue with more than 300-million tracks. Zoom now allows video calls on the iX3’s central display when the vehicle is stationary. As soon as the vehicle starts moving, the video transmission stops and the conversation continues via audio.
In-car gaming via AirConsole, as introduced for the first time with the BMW Operating System 8.5, is also available in the new BMW iX3, featuring world-renowned titles such as UNO Car Party.
A new highlight in AirConsole’s extensive game library is Hot Wheels: Xtreme Overdrive from Mattel, available exclusively to BMW customers. AirConsole allows users to use their smartphones as controllers, so all passengers can play together or compete against each other.
The iX3 is also the first production model to feature BMW’s new Panoramic iDrive system, which combines physical controls with touch, voice and steering-wheel inputs. Central to this is the Panoramic Vision display, projecting information across the width of the windscreen, complemented by a free-standing central touchscreen and optional 3D head-up display.
The latest sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology developed for the Neue Klasse comprises highly efficient electric motors, new high-voltage batteries and 800V technology. The all-wheel drive BMW iX3 50 xDrive is powered by two electric motors which together generate outputs of 345kW and 645Nm. It accelerates from 0 to 100km/h in 4.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 210km/h.
The high-voltage 108.7kWh battery enables a range of up to 805km. A maximum charging rate of 400kW enables the iX3 to be juiced up to a range of 372km in just 10 minutes at a DC rapid charging station.
The new BMW iX3 will be launched in South Africa in the third quarter of 2026.
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